Page 36 of Incognito

Quelling her growing nerves with effort, she tilted her chin up. “Are you going to ride this thing or just look at it?”

Ignoring her brusqueness, his grin broadened as he climbed aboard, and that’s when the fun really started.

Dante ensured her arms were clasped firmly around his waist, and as she dug her fingers into the buttery soft leather of his jacket, a thrill of pure anticipation shot through her.

As he revved the engine and carefully pulled into traffic, Natasha closed her eyes and sent a silent prayer heavenward to be safe.

The bike shot forward, turned several corners, and hit the beach road curving along Port Phillip Bay, as equal parts excitement and trepidation made Natasha cling to Dante. Adrenalin coursed through her body and she’d never felt better, but she took her prayer one step further.

Let me be safe from falling for a guy like Dante.

Sadly, as the short ride between the hotel and his sister’s beachside mansion ended, she had a sinking feeling it might be too late.

19

“Do I have helmet hair?”

Dante took the helmet Natasha held out to him and stared at her like she’d asked a question in Martian. “What is this helmet hair you speak of?”

She chuckled at his adorable, royal cluelessness. “Is my hair messy from wearing the helmet?”

Realisation made his blue eyes sparkle and before she could move, he reached out and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

“Your hair looks fine.” His fingers brushed her earlobe as he withdrew his hand, sending a delicious shiver through her body, like every cell had been electrified.

Maybe the last ten minutes being plastered against his body and his heat warming her better than the sun’s rays had made her a little loopy, but she seemed super-sensitised to him.

All he’d done was touch her hair and brush her ear, and her nerve-endings shot into orbit. Time to douse her fever with a reality check: an hour in the company of twenty toddlers and his sister should do the trick.

“You look beautiful,” he said, his sexy trademark smile making her feel beautiful. “Now, if you are ready, it is time to face the firing squad.”

She didn’t need to ask who the firing squad was as a stunning, statuesque woman wearing a white designer suit and a monstrous matching wide-brimmed hat strode towards them.

When she reached them, the stunning woman—who had to be Dante’s sister—held out her hand, and for an embarrassing moment Natasha stifled the urge to curtsy.

The woman studied her with an imperious arch of her brows. “You must be Natasha?”

“That’s right, nice to meet you.” Natasha took the proffered hand and smiled, hoping it didn’t look like a grimace.

“I’m Gina. Welcome.”

Though Gina’s smile seemed genuine enough, Natasha saw the cool, calculating gleam in her eyes, and wished she hadn’t come.

Helping Dante plan a party for his nephew and spending a casual evening over dinner was one thing, getting sized up by his family another.

Dante’s speculative gaze swung between her and Gina, and to Natasha’s relief, he seemed pleased she’d survived the introduction to his sister.

“Now that you two lovely ladies have met, shall we join the party in the rear garden?” He gestured at the house. “I can hear the children squealing from here.”

Dante’s light touch in the small of her back soothed Natasha’s frayed nerves and she straightened, determined to enjoy the party.

Gina pointed at her endless cobbled driveway. “Please enter and I will take you through to the backyard.”

Gina’s formal speech patterns reminded Natasha of Dante at times, yet she noted the differences between brother and sister too. Dante’s eyes were piercing blue and Gina’s almost coal black. Dante had a relaxed gait and Gina strutted like a supermodel. Dante spoke with a casual lilt interspersedwith occasional stilted formality, and Gina’s upper class accent screamed status, wealth, and power.

“Paolo hasn’t stopped asking for you since the castle and animals arrived an hour ago, Dante. He’s very impressed.” Gina paused. “And so am I.”

Gina’s praise sounded begrudging and Dante’s brows drew together in a formidable frown, as Natasha pondered the strange undercurrent between brother and sister.

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